


Better Than Words

by shesbreathless



Series: schmico codas [5]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Fluff, M/M, throughout 15x14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 09:36:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shesbreathless/pseuds/shesbreathless
Summary: “Come over to mine?”“Yeah, okay. I don’t want to be alone either.”I fill the gaps between the Schmico scenes in episode 15x14.





	Better Than Words

Levi can almost already taste how glorious breakfast with Nico will be. It’s one thing to bring each other coffee and drink it in the hallway with a chart already in the other hand and half listening to what the other has to say; it’s another thing to wake up next to each other, bed head and bad breath.

Levi wants all of that, plus the experience of getting to get up before Nico wakes up, ravaging his kitchen and almost setting it on fire trying to prepare some French toast with the intention of bringing it back with him to bed on a tray and surprising Nico with it.

Of course, what will actually happen is that Nico will hear him and come looking for him, and he’ll probably end up preparing his own breakfast plus Levi’s, but it’s okay because it means Levi gets to sit on the counter and look at him in all his non-pajamas-wearing glory.

He can definitely already see and feel all of that, and he wants it more than anything else right now.

“Now put the other piece in,” Nico’s voice breaks through Levi’s daydream.

Levi shakes himself out of his own stupor and focuses back on the task at hand. He’s indeed done with the tool he was using, so he puts it back in its place. The piece Nico is referring to is lying next to it, and Levi picks it up and tries to remember where it’s supposed to go.

He turns it on itself and looks at it from different angles, then pushes it into the hole he created. It looks like it fits, but it doesn’t quite go in all the way.

“Is this supposed to happen?” Levi wonders out loud.

Nico looks over and hums, stepping closer to Levi and considering it. “No, the other way around.”

Levi tilts his head, confused. “Show me?”

He probably should have figured that this would have happened, but Levi is still surprised when he feels Nico’s arms reaching around his body and his hands settling on top of Levi’s. He looks up at Nico, and he finds him smirking slightly.

“Do you touch all of your students this much?” Levi says, turning back around to look at what Nico is doing.

Nico doesn’t answer immediately, instead focusing on holding onto Levi’s hands and making him actually do the work. Levi lets him, catching on quickly and finally sliding the piece in correctly.

“Only the cute ones,” Nico says at last, leaning down to whisper in Levi’s ear.

Levi rolls his eyes, but can’t hide the way a shiver runs down his spine at how low and gruff Nico’s voice sounds. He turns around to face Nico, wrapping his arms around his neck and leaning in to brush their lips together.

Nico tries to catch his mouth in a kiss, but Levi steps back before he actually does. Nico smirks and is about to say something when their pagers go off. Nico huffs and leans his forehead against Levi’s, taking his pager out of his pocket and checking it.

His expression immediately changes, a hard line settling between his brows, and Levi resigns to the moment just being gone.

“How bad?” he asks Nico.

“Bad enough,” Nico sighs.

Levi pats him on the chest and lets him step away, gathering their stuff and walking together down to the E.R.

“You did great with that hip, by the way,” Nico says while they wait for the elevator.

“Thank you,” Levi smiles up at him. “You’re a great teacher.”

Nico smirks at him, and they share a knowing look. The doors open and they step inside, Levi knocking their shoulders together and watching the numbers light up as they go down.

-

Levi feels like he’s been washing his hands for an eternity by now, but it’s probably only because he can’t wait to get into the O.R. They’re not going to do the hip replacement he was working on so hard, but it’s still a surgery nonetheless, and he’s excited.

He can see the stools that have been set up, just two of them, just for Nico and him. It’s going to be so intimate, to be able to look up close at Nico working with no other distractions or too many people around.

The thought that Nico had been favouring him over the other interns had briefly crossed Levi’s mind, but then Nico had basically read his mind and promised that he was only doing this because he thinks Levi is talented, and Levi believes him.

“Oh, you’re here,” Nico pops his head through the door, walking up to the sinks.

“Yup,” Levi smiles at him. “I can’t wait.”

Nico nods and turns the water on, grabbing the soap and starting to wash his hands. Levi looks at him from the corner of his eye, considering his expression. He looks as composed as always, but there is a crease between his eyebrows and a troubled look in his eye.

“Everything okay?” Levi murmurs.

Nico sighs, looks up into the O.R. and back down at Levi beside him.

“Most of them are so young,” he nods his head in the direction of the patient.

Levi can feel his excitement dim a little. He looks beyond the window as well and allows himself to think about the tragedy that has happened and keeps happening every day, a heavy feeling settling on his stomach.

“We’re saving as many as we can,” Levi says after a while, when they’re both done washing their hands.

Nico smiles at him, and it does look a bit forced, but Levi can see past it.

“Let’s go help this one out,” Nico leans in to drop a kiss on Levi’s cheek.

Levi watches him walk into the O.R., greeting all the nurses in there, and smiles to himself. He’s trying not to think too hard about the bad stuff, focusing instead on the excitement of doing such a cool surgery with his favourite person. He sighs and follows Nico in the O.R.

-

As it turned out, it had been impossible to ignore much longer than that. The surgery had gone great and Levi still can’t believe how quick and easy Nico had made it seem, but the sight that welcomes him when he gets out of the O.R. is unbelievable.

The hospital isn’t in as big of an emergency as earlier, but there are still sick people everywhere. Most of them are indeed barely past teenager years, and it’s heartbreaking to see them all alone and in pain.

Levi walks around, going through the E.R. and into the clinic, looking for any way to make himself useful, but it doesn’t look like there is anything for him to do. A few patients look up at him when he walks by, and Levi’s heart hurts when he sees the expression on their faces.

He gets overwhelmed after only a few minutes, and he has to get out. He quickly gathers his stuff from the locker room and shoots a text to Nico, asking him what his plans are. Nico answers immediately, asking him to wait for him so that they can leave together.

Levi feels like he can finally breathe as soon as he steps outside. Even out here there are more people than usual, probably family and friends of the victims, but the atmosphere isn’t as desperate as it is inside.

He considers sitting on a bench, but he doesn’t think he would be able to stand still, so he walks up and down the path that leads to the entrance. He notices Nico as soon as he steps outside.

“Hey,” Levi greets him.

Nico doesn’t say anything, instead walking up to him and wrapping an arm around Levi’s shoulders. The crease between his eyebrows looks deeper than it had been earlier, but this time Levi doesn’t feel like he can say anything to take it away.

“Come over to mine?” Nico asks, starting to walk slowly.

Levi looks up at him, a question on the tip of his tongue. Nico glances down and attempts a smile. He won’t say it, but Levi knows that this day has been difficult for him, probably more than he realises.

“Yeah, okay,” Levi finally says. “I don’t want to be alone either.”

He knows that what he thought was right because Nico squeezes his shoulders and leans down to leave a kiss on Levi’s temple. Some things don’t need to be said out loud to be understood.

They walk together in silence, no words needed. They’re going to leave the pain and suffering behind for tonight, and Levi is going to do his best to make a true smile appear back on Nico’s face.

“You know how earlier I said you’re better than a comic book?” Levi asks. “Maybe you’re not.”

He grabs the hand that Nico has wrapped around him and intertwines their fingers, Nico looking down at him with a confused expression. Levi smiles serenely at him.

“I know you don’t believe it right now,” Levi quickly kisses the hand he’s holding. “But you’re just as much of a hero.”

Nico chuckles, and Levi can see the single tear dropping on his cheekbone, but he’s also smiling, which is all Levi really wanted. He wraps his arm around Nico’s waist, which makes walking complicated, but they don’t care right now. All that matters is that they’re going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> The writers really need to stop starting the episodes with happiness and ending them with such sad moments! They make me feel bad about writing fluff and smut :( Like, that “you’re a work of art” scene has such great potential, but I can’t possibly ignore all that’s going on in the hospital. Ugh. Maybe I’ll write something about it when I get over it lol
> 
> If you liked this, let me know with a comment or hit me up on [Tumblr](https://shesbreathless.tumblr.com/)!


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